Method of making sheet-metal wheels or pulleys.



J. P. CRAVEN.

METHOD or MAKING SHEET METAL WHEELS 0R PULLEYS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21, 1908.

Patented June 29, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 R O T N E V 4 m WITNESSES. I

J. E. CRAVEN.

METHOD OF MAKING SHEET METAL WHEELS 0R PULLEYS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21, 1908.

Patented June 29, 1909.

2 SHEETB-SHEET 2.

FIG

FIG. 8

WITNESSES.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIo JAMES F. CRAVEN, OF GRAFTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD OF MAKING SHEET-METAL WHEELS OR PULLEYS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs F. CRAVEN, a. resident of Grafton, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Methods of Making Sheet-Metal WVheels or Pulleys; and I do hereby declare the follow mg to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

This invention relates to a method of making sheet metal wheels, such as pulley wheels, vehicle wheels, gear wheels, or wheels for any other purpose.

The object of the invention is to provide a method for constructing wheels of thin sheet metal, whereby such wheels can be made quickly and cheaply and a strong and accurate wheel formed.

The invention comprises the several steps hereinafter described and claimed.

The principal feature of my improved method consists in forming the rim and spoke portions of the wheel with the rim portion straight and the spokes at right angles thereto so that these parts can be quickly, cheaply and accurately formed, and then bending the same to circular form.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a view showing the manner of cutting the blanks for forming the peripheral portion and spokes; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of said blanks bent to shape; Fig. 3 is a similar view showing two such blanks assembled;'

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the manner of attaching the rim face thereto; Fig. 5 is a view illustrating the parts shown in Fig. 4 after being bent to circular shape; Fig. 6 is a view showing a finished half wheel; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a modification; and Figs. 8 to 13 are detailed views of diilerent forms of hubs.

In the drawings the invention has been shown applied to the making of split pulleys but the method is adapted for making Wheels of various kinds and is not limited to the making of the same in halves, as illustrated.

Fig. 1 shows the manner of cutting the plate blanks for the peripheral and spoke portions which constitute the web of the wheel. These are cut from a plate of suitable width and in a manner to prevent scrap or waste as far as possible. The blanks are cut with the continuous edge portions 1 forming the peripheral part of the wheel body and with the spoke forming portions 2 at Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 21, 1908.

Patented June 29, 1909.

Serial No. 417,044.

right angles to the peripheral portions. The sheet is out so that the spoke forming portions 2 on one of the blanks projects into the s ace between adjacent spoke forming portions in the other blank, 'thus economizing metal as far as possible, only the small portions cut out from the spaces 3 being wasted. These blanks are then bent substantially on the line lso as to form a crimpingflange 4 and bring the spoke forming portions 2 at right angles to the surface of the peripheral portion 1 (Fig. 2). A portion of the metal at what may be called the base of the spoke forming portions 2 is corrugated, as at 5: in order to form a lateral brace from the spoke to the peripheral portion. The spoke forming portions are also corrugated, or curved, as at 6, to give strength. Two such blanks are then assembled (Fig. 3) with he spoke forming portions of the two in contact and projecting at right angles from the peripheral portion 1, and are assembled by crimping the edges of one of said blanks over the edges of the other, as shown at 7, one of said blanks preferably being slightly wider both as to the flange 4 on the peripheral portion 1 and s oke forming portions 2 than the other b ank, so permitting the metal of said wider portion to be folded over the edges of the other blank. This crimping is carried continuously along both edges of the spokes and the spaces between the spokes. This provides a straight, broad, peripheral portion with hollow spokes projecting at right angles from the center of said peripheral port-ion. If desired, the peri )heral portion may form the rim of the wheel, such as a belt face for a pulley, but I prefer to add a separate rim face in the form of a llat plate 8 which is suitably united to the peripheral portion 1, such as by beadinglthe edges over, as shown at 9, Fig. 4. If desired, a strong wire or small rod 16 may be inserted in the bead but this is not absolutely necessary. If such rods or wires are used, they are allowed to project at one end, as at 11, and do not extend quite to the other end, so that when curved to shape the projecting ends enter the openings of the eads on the opposite end, forming an interlock. Even when wires or rods are not used I prefer to insert short pieces of Wire or rod at one end of the blank so as to project into the openings of the beads in the opposite end to form the interlock.

Fig. 7 shows a modification in which the spokes are formed from two strips otmetal 12, having their edges united by crimping and their outer ends bent outwardly as at 13, and secured to the rim 8, as by beading their ends into the edges of the rim, as shown at 14. In this modification the spoke portions are not united at their outer ends except through the rim, whereas, in the modification shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the spokes are united at their outer ends by the peripheral portion 1 integral with the spokes.

All of the operations so far described take place upon blanks in a substantially straight form, so that the operations can be quickly carried out by ordinary cutting, crimping and beading mechanism, and, without the necessity of special circulardies or the like. The nfechanism used can also be adapted to practically any size of wheel to be made, due to the formation of the parts in a straight form. The next step in the operation is the curving of the blank to circular form, (Fig. 5) either to acomplete circle to form a onepiece wheel, orto :a semi-circle in forming split pulleys or wheels, as shown in the drawings. This curving can be done by ordinary bending rolls, which act to bring the blank to true circular or semi-circular form with the spokes projecting radially. After so curving the blank, the hub is attached, and the angle clips 15 are riveted to the inner faces at the ends of thesemi-circular members.

The hub may be of various forms. In the drawings I have shown several thereof. Figs. 8 and 9 show a sheet metal hub made of two stampings 16, divided on the central vertical line of the pulley, said stampings having the inwardly turned tubular portions 17 to form the bore of the pulley or wheel, and being provided on their peripheral POI? tions with openings 18 for receiving the inner ends of the spokes. The spokes in this case have outwardly turned portions 19 on their ends which are secured to the inner faces of the hub members by rivets 20.

'Fig. 10 shows a hub made of either a forging or casting, and composed of two members having the radially projecting flanges 21 adapted to be united at intervals by rivets 22, forming between the same openings 23 for receiving the inner ends of the spokes. Rivets 24 are driven through said flanges and theends of the spokes. These rivets 24 may also serve to unite the two members of the hub so that the rivets 22 may be dispensed with.

Fig. 1.1 shows a modification wherein the hub 'member is provided with integral bosses 25 projecting into holes 26 of the spokes, the

bosses on the two members of the hub taking the place of the rivet 24. shown in Fig. 10. Fig. 12 shows still another modification in which the inner ends of the spokes are provided with outward bulges 27 adapted to take into depressions 28 formed in the hub members. Fig. 13 shows a modification in which the hub member is provided with radial solid projections 29 adapted to project up into the inner ends of the hollow spokes, being secured by cross rivets 30.

The hubs may be adapted for either split or one-piece wheels. When used for split wheels they are divided along the axis of the bore and provided-with radial projections 31 for receiving compression bolts 82, as is the usual practice with split .pulleys or wheels.

The wheel formed according to the method described is light, accurate and strong. The cutting of the blanks in the manner shown in Fig. 1 reduces waste of metal to a minimum and the formation of the main parts while straight expedites and cheapens the operations so that the cost of the wheel is moderate.

hat I claim is:

1. The method of making sheet metal wheels, consisting in forming sheet metal into a straight rim portion with spoke portions thereon projecting at ri ht angles therefrom, securing two such lanks together with the spoke portions in contact, and then bending the rim portion to circular form and thereby bringing the spoke portions radial.

2. The method of making sheet metal wheels, consisting in forming sheet metal into a straight rim portion with spoke portions thereon projecting at right angles therefrom, securing two such blanks to gether with the spoke portions in contact, bending said rim portion to circular form and thereby bringing the spoke portions radial, and then attaching a hub to the inner ends of said spokes.

3. The method of making sheet metal wheels, consisting in forming sheet metal web portions with spokes, securing to said web portions a straight sheet meta face by beading the edges of the latter over the edges of the web portions, and then bending said rim face to circular form and thereby bringing the spoke portions radial.

4. The method of making sheet metal wheels, consisting in cutting a sheet-metal blank to form a peripheral portion with spoke portions on the edges thereof, then bending said spoke portions at right angles to the'face of the peri heral portion, then bending said peripheral portion to circular form and thereby bringing the spoke ortions radial, and finally attaching a hu to the inner ends of said spoke portions.

5. The method of making sheet metal wheels, consisting in forming a sheet metal peripheral portion with integral spokes at right angles thereto, attaching a rim face sheet to said peripheral portion while in straight form, and then bending the rim portion to circular form and bringing the spokes radial.

6. The method of making sheet metal wheels, consisting in cutting a sheet metal blank to form a peripheral portion and spoke portions on the edge thereof, then bending said spoke portions at right angles to the face of the peripheral portion and corrugating the same, placing two such blanks with the spoke portions in contact and securing the same together, and finally bending the peripheral portion to circular form.

7. The method of making sheet metal wheels, consisting in cutting sheet metal blanks with a straight peripheral portion and spoke portions on the edge thereof, bending said spoke portions at right angles to the face of the peripheral portion, placing two such blanks with the spoke portions in contact, folding the edges of one of said blanks over the edges of the other blank to unite the same, and then bending the pe- 20 ripheral portion to circular form.

8. The method of making sheet metal Wheels, consisting in cutting a sheet metal blank to provide a straight peripheral portion with spoke portions projecting from the edge thereof, bending said blank to bring the spoke portions at right angles to the face of the eripheral portion, assembling two such blan s with the spoke portions in contact, folding the edges of one of said blanks over the edges of the other blank, applying a rim face portion to the outer faces of the two peripheral portions, and then bending the rim portion to circular form.

In testimony whereof, I the said JAMES F. CRAVEN, have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES F. CRAVEN.

Witnesses:

I F. W. WINTER,

ROBERT C. TOTTEN. 

